Tourism Secretary James D. Hagen invites you to take a South Dakota arts road trip

By James D. Hagen Secretary of Tourism

We’re all ready to take a South Dakota road trip

With travelers feeling more optimistic about the future, vaccinations rolling out in a steady manner and tourism industry members keeping the health and safety of our citizens and visitors top-of-mind by implementing health and hygiene protocols, folks are itching to travel this summer. They want to get out and take a road trip—and there’s no better destination than South Dakota. Visitors to South Dakota are drawn here by our unique cultural heritage, our growing creative community and the arts opportunities presented by communities throughout the state. Summer theaters, visual arts centers and concert venues throughout the state are announcing their warm-weather schedules and inviting travelers to resume their vacation planning.

South Dakota has a proud history of attracting visitors to share our arts and cultural sites. From the monumental must-see sculptures at Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse and Dignity near Chamberlain, to the famous paintings of Harvey Dunn in the South Dakota Art Museum, our state has unique attractions that draw visitors from across the nation and around the world. This summer, South Dakotans have a chance to reacquaint themselves with the places and events that make our state so special.

The best part of the summer arts scene in South Dakota is that, once again, it’s happening everywhere. Our music festivals range from jazz and blues in Sioux Falls to bluegrass in the Black Hills. Theatrical offerings bring local and tourist audiences drama and comedy from Shakespeare to melodrama, on stages under the stars and in historic buildings. It’s easy to plan stops to catch all the action with directions and details at TravelSouthDakota.com.

The beauty of our land, the richness of our culture and our appreciation of the arts help draw millions of visitors to our state every year. Cultural tourism is a vital part of our economy, creating jobs, prosperity and lifelong learning in a way that is fun and familyfriendly. We work hard to invite people from our neighboring states to enjoy cultural opportunities in South Dakota. This summer, we invite you to join them and discover for yourself why I am so proud of our state and its cultural community.